The 7 Best Hiking Trails in Texas to See a Ghost

While town and city life is undeniably convenient, there comes a point when everyone needs to just get away from it all. Fitness, fresh air…suddenly priorities begin to shift, and all you want to do is run. Look no further. These are the seven best hiking trails in Texas to see a ghost.

7) Cedar Ridge Preserve – Dallas, TX

This nature preserve has a number of hikes for varied experience levels, and is accessible to anyone who wants to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. Some of the more advanced trails are quite rigorous, for those who are in need of a challenge. If you’re the type who likes ultralight backpacking, this is for you. The trek itself pays off when you arrive at the scenic view deck.

A beautiful and panoramic landscape awaits you. Lately, a few hikers have started reporting disorientation and strange, almost surgical like cuts on their wrists and ankles. A few have even said that they were struggling to keep their sense of time. Perhaps even more strange…one recent visitor experienced a sort of psychic ability, saying she was able sense other people’s thoughts for a short while.

Nobody is quite sure what the situation is, as it has involved very few people.

6) Hermann Park Trail – Houston, TX

Hermann Park is the largest in all of central Texas. Run along a beautiful trail that surrounds an extensive golf course, and make nice with other health-conscious individuals in the community. After running along the trail front, be sure to check out the Houston Zoo, which is also located in the park.

Hermann Park is open for joggers, walkers, cyclists, and dog enthusiasts alike. Want to experience something spooky? Parts of the trail are said to be haunted by a ghost that will communicate with those running or biking by. So put your running shoes on and take a looksie. Or go get the best affordable mountain bike you can, and take a ride through this area.

The spirit is said to whisper greetings, and occasionally graze the spine of visitors nearby. Despite this occurrence, Hermann Park is a treasured part of Houston, and is an integral part of the cultural landscape.

5) Lost Dog Trailhead – El Paso, TX

This advanced trail is not a place to bring beginner hikers. What some folks enjoy most about these trails is that there are no designated signs or markers along the way…you must take note of every change in direction, or use a reliable GPS tracker to find your way out again.

It makes for an exciting expedition adventure. Ride or hike your way up to a view of the gorgeous Franklin Mountains. According to a local mystic, the trail is named after a dog who had wandered off from his master.

The master went out into an especially cold night and looked for the dog. He sat along the trail to rest, and passed away. The man’s spirit is said to have moved on, but every once in a while joggers speak of seeing a transparent dog, or hearing clear barks when no animal is nearby.

4) Brownsville Historic Battlefield Trail – Brownsville, TX

This trail is set in place where an old railroad line used to lay. Before the regular use of trains, the trail had been used by both American and Mexican soldiers during the American Mexican war over Texas. Now the park is about nine miles long, running from one side of town to the other.

The park and trail are littered with native foliage and animal habitats. Whether someone is a nature enthusiast or a routine runner, this park is an ideal location for multiple purposes. Through the trail you will find information stations that provide maps, information on the surrounding vegetation and wildlife, as well we a history of the area.

Don’t be thrown off if anyone in town suggests you don’t explore the trail. A couple of people claim they have photographic evidence of miniature humanoids wandering about the park at night. Most fitness enthusiasts in town insist that it is a hoax, but a California psychic reviewed the the reports and confirmed their authenticity. A Tarot reader who was consulted also agree.

3) The Lighthouse Trail – Canyon, TX

The Lighthouse Trail is a part of the Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Anyone who appreciates geology should visit this park, as it clearly shows what years and years of erosion can do to rock formations. The trail itself is a scenic three mile hike into the canyon.

The reward is a final climb up the lighthouse rock, a well-known formation due to its shape. Want to extend your stay? The park provides many camping areas so you can spend a night by the trail.

Just don’t be fooled by the beautiful woman that may visit your tent during the night. For the last two years, summer campers have said that the spirit of a beautiful young woman has appeared within their tents near midnight. Some believe she is not a ghost at all, but an evil witch, come to eat the hearts out of men.

Several attempts have been made, by a group of mediums, to channel the spirit of the woman. Each attempt has left the mediums in a state of almost perpetual shock.

2) Emory Peak – Brewster, TX

Emory Peak is located in Big Bend National Park, and is one of the highest mountain peaks in the range. The hike to the top is relatively easy for those who lead fairly active lifestyles. Many people believe the scenic view from the top of the trail is a natural medicine for a troubled soul.

Take in its beauty as you set up a picnic for you and your loved ones. After you catch one glimpse of the view, you will never want to climb back down the trail again. Want a few goosebumps to go with your day of nature?

According to local legend, Emory Peak is said to be the home of a nocturnal demonic entity. While nobody has seen the entity in person, a group of tourists recently captured an EVP of the creature, cursing at them under his breath. Another person claims that one of the children in their group complained of a funny man who kept following her.

None of the adults could see it, but the other children could—and they were terrified.

1) River Place Nature Trail – Austin, TX

Are you up for the challenge of this seven mile hike, especially if the hills are in the last leg of the journey? If that sounds like a good time to you then look no further than the River Place Nature Trail. One one of the park is a large pond and fountain, and on the other is the trail.

Most folks in Austin still can’t believe how remote the park feels despite its close proximity to the city. Enjoy the river that runs parallel to the trail on an early morning hike. At certain points the two are very close, so you can stop to put your feet in the water for a quick break.

Have kids? Let them enjoy the children’s playground on the side opposite the trail. Just don’t let them wander too far…some Austin locals have begun to avoid taking their kids near the River Place Trail.

They believe that some form of river monster is sometimes present near the trails, and has been known to lure small children into the water. Unable to swim, the children drown, and drift along with the current of the river. While most Texans find it to be silly, there are some who are terrified of this unknown creature.

Have you hiked any of these trails? What did you experience? Tell us in the comments below.

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